Michael Grandage to direct Disney's Frozen Musical on Broadway

It has been reported in the New York Post that British director Michael Grandage has been hired by Walt Disney Theatricals to direct the upcoming Broadway premiere of Frozen the Musical, which is expected to land on Broadway at the St James Theatre in Spring 2018 following an out-of-town try-out in Denver.

Grandage joins the project following the release of director Alex Timbers from the project who departed last month. Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry had also reportedly been in talks to direct the multi-million dollar production.

It was also reported that Michael Grandage would bring his partner designer Christopher Oram to the project as set designer, replacing the previously announced Bob Crowley who has worked on Disney musicals such as Aida, Tarzan and Aladdin.

The stage musical of Frozen will feature music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and a book by Jennifer Lee. It will be heavily based on the 2013 animated film of the same name that has brought in $1.276 billion since its release. It features the songs "Let It Go", "For the First Time in Forever" and "Love is an Open Door" and will be expanded for the stage.

Michael Grandage was artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse from 2002 to 2012 where he staged musicals such as Merrily We Roll Along and Grand Hotel as well as revivals of Guys and Dolls and Evita in the commercial West End. In 2011 he set up the Michael Grandage Company and announced a fifteen-month season of work at the Noel Coward Theatre which included plays such as Privates on Parade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V and Peter and Alice. His revival of Evita transferred to Broadway, but failed to recoup its costs.

According to the official website, Frozen will have Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Sound Design by Peter Hylenski and Music Supervision, Vocal & Incidental Music Arrangements by Stephen Oremus.

A reading of Frozen was recently held in the USA, but no official casting details have yet been announced.